HIS TIP
“As for a tip… so many records have touched me, affected me, helped me, moved me. It’s hard to choose one.
But today I will opt for Wilco’s “Kicking Television”.
I was talking about Wilco the other night after a concert and nobody around the table seemed to have heard of them. They are a truly great band and one of my favourite live acts. I’ve seen them a few times and they have always been a revelation. This is a live record and their first release with Nels Cline on guitar, one of the best guitar players I’ve ever heard and a lovely gent.“
WHAT PROJECTS HAVE YOU DONE SO FAR?
“Now you’ve made me think. I’ve been playing music since I was 15 and have never really had any other job. So I’ve been lucky enough to have got up to lotsJ I’ve have made 6 solo records, plus 2 EPs. I’ve worked on 14 feature film sound tracks and some TV. I don’t think I can choose the “biggest one”, they have all been the “biggest ones” to me at the time I suppose.
The last recording I put out was one of the strangest ones perhaps. I was in London discussing making a new studio album. I was to send “demos” back to the producer whilst on tour.
I managed to send upwards of 25 new songs over, most of which I recorded on my phone (using the inbuilt microphone only).
Then I tried to record “proper demos” in a small studio but when I played them to friends, my manager etc… they all agreed with me that they preferred the phone versions to the studio versions (with all the background noise and strange atmospheres). So, encouraged by my manager in London, I decided to release the phone demos.
So “VOICE MEMOS” was born and I’ve had some amazing feedback about it from all over the world.“
WHAT’S GOING ON NOW?
“Right now I’ve just finished up a solo European tour. I’m back to planning how I’m going to make this new record. I had an option of recording it in France, then in Memphis USA, but decided on recording it in Prague in the end with great Czech musicians I know. It was all set up to go in August but a set of very unfortunate circumstances got in the way and the recording sessions had to be cancelled.
I’m now trying to find the best time and place to have another go. The songs are there. The musicians are still willing to do it (thankfully). I just need to find a time we can all get together to record it. I was very disappointed it didn’t work out in August. I’m hoping that it happened for a reason and that the new sessions will be even better J
There is also talk of doing some music for an Austrian film. We’ll see.“
